Tablet dispensing box



Dec. 8, 1936. F. J. OBRIEN TABLET D'ISPENSING Box Filed Sept. 21, 1934 14 20 181? .51 w WMJHM Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES TABLET DISPENSING BOX Frank J. O'Brien, Pelham, N. Y., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 21, 1934, Serial No. 744,996

2 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in article dispensing containers and more particularly to a container for medicinal tablets such as aspirin tablets.

An object of the invention is to provide a container having a symmetrical body portion and a cover sliding thereover and adapted to package a plurality of rows of tablets without shocking, with means whereby only one tablet at a time can be dispensed when the cover is moved to open position;

A further object of the invention is to provide a container of the above type with means whereby only one tablet can move beneath the dispensing opening until the cover is again closed.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the .improved container with the cover open to discharge a tablet.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 isa bottom plan view of the container with the cover in closed position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged sectional view with the cover closed.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-5 of Fig. l.

The invention relates broadly to a container for dispensing tablets. The improved container comprises a symmetrical body portion, rectangular in shape and substantially uniform in cross section. The over-all dimensions of the body portion are adapted to receive a plurality of equal rows of tablets and hold them from shocking therein. Av cover is provided for the container which is slidably attached thereto, the longitudinal sliding movement thereof being positively limited to substantially the extent of one tablet. The cover is cut away at the end of one of the rows of tablets so that only one tablet is released when the cover is in open pomtion. The body of the container and the cover have inwardly projecting narrow ribs disposed longitudinally of the container, between the rows of tablets and adjacent the cutaway portion of the cover the distance between which is less than the thickness of one tablet. There are also narrow inwardly projecting ribs running transversely of the cover and the container,

- which are adapted to lie one above the others when the cover is open. the distance between in the drawing, the lateral extent of the flange 9 provided therefor.

these ribs being also less than the thickness of one tablet, while the distance between either rib and the opposite wall is greater than the thickness of one tablet when the cover is closed. It

is the function of the ribs to allow only one tabletat a time to approach the cutaway portion in the cover when the cover is in closed position and allow only one tablet to be dispensed when the cover is in open position. The distance between the transverse ribs in the open position of the cover is less than the thickness of the next succeeding tablet and the ribs restrain the remaining tablets from being dispensed from the container.

Referring more in detail to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the improved container is indicated at l in the drawing and comprises a body portion 8 with a sliding cover Both the cover and the body portion are preferably made of metal and Y may be stamped or dieformed into the shape desired. The body portion is rectangular in shape and substantially uniform in cross section and is so dimensioned as toreceive a plurality of equal rows of tablets and hold them from shocking about therein. The body portion 8 of the container is provided at the front ordispensing end with a laterally projecting flange I0, and at the opposite or rear end with a laterally projecting flange II, the side walls of the container being left straight.

The cover 9 for the container is provided with a top portion l2 which is cut away as indicated at l3 in the drawing. The cutaway portion is adapted to overlie one of the rows of tablets and is so dimensioned as to allow one tablet to be removed when the cover is in proper dispensing position. Depending from the sides of the top portion l2 of the cover are side walls l3 which are of sufllcient length to leave enough metal to be bent back under the bottom of the container to form retaining members I4 which hold the cover in longitudinal sliding relation to the body portion. cover in respect to the body portion of the container-is limited to the width of substantially one tablet in open position, the opening movement thereof being arrested by the dimples l5 reaching the limit of suitable cutaway portions or slots It provided in the members it which overlap the bottom of the container. The closing movement of the coverjs arrested by a pro- Section 16' which hooks under the rear laterally projecting flange ii. As may be readily seen The sliding movement of the In on the body portion is slightly greater than the depth of the cutaway portion IS in the cover so that when the cover is in closed position, the cutaway portion will overlie the flange H) and the contents of the container will not be exposed.

In order to keep the tablets to be dispensed in line with the cutaway portion IS in the cover, which is adapted to overlie only one row of tablets, narrow longitudinally inwardly projecting ribs l1 and 18 are provided in the cover and-body portions respectively of the container between the rows of the tablets, the distance between these ribs being less than the thickness of a tablet, thus preventing any tablets approaching the dispensing opening except one at a time and rearwardly of the tablet in position to be dispensed.

The container is also provided with inwardly projecting transverse ribs I 9 and 20 in the cover and body portions respectively, which are adapted to he one above the other when the cover is in open position, the distance between which at that time is less than the thickness of a tablet and the distance between either rib and the opposed wall of the container when the cover is closed being greater than the thickness of a tablet.

From the above, the dispensing operation of the container should be obvious. When it is desired to remove a tablet from the container it is first tilted forward or toward the end having the cut-away portion in the cover, a tablet is directed by the longitudinal ribs llgand l8 and slides to the foremost end of the container. The sliding cover is then opened, exposing the tablet to be dispensed, the transverse ribs l9 and 20 acting to restrain any other tablet from approaching the dispensing opening until the cover has been closed and the operation thus described repeated.

It will be obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement 01' the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing container for tablets comprising a rectangular body portion of substantially uniform cross section, a slidable cover therefor, said container being dimensioned to receive a plurality of equal rows 01' tablets and hold the same from shocking therein, said cover being cut away at one end thereof to provide an opening through which one tablet may be dispensed when the cover is in open position, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said cover so that when in open position, more than half and less than the whole of one tablet only is uncovered whereby said tablet may tilt and pass out through said opening, said cover and said body having inwardly projecting ribs cooperatively disposed so asto permit only one tablet. to gain access to the dispensing portion of the container when the cover is closed and so as to prevent the passage of other tablets to the dispensing opening when the cover is opened.

2. A dispensing container for tablets comprising a rectangular body portion of substantially uniform cross section, a slidable cover therefor, said container being dimensioned to receive a plurality of equal rows of tablets, and hold the same from shocking therein, said container body along one end thereof having an outwardly extending flange adapted to contact with the cover when closed and of a width substantially equal to one-half the width of a tablet to be dispensed, said cover having the end thereof at one side of the container body cut away to form a dispensing opening for the tablets, and means for limiting the sliding movement of said cover so that when in open position, more than half and less than the whole of one tablet only is uncovered whereby said tablet may tilt and pass out through said opening, while the other tablets in the end row are retained in the container by the cover, said cover and said body having inwardly projecting ribs cooperatively disposed so as to permit only one tablet to gain accew to the dispensing portion of the container when the cover is closed and so as to prevent the passage of other tablets to the dispensing opening when the cover is opened.

FRANK J. O'BRIEN. 

